The tenday following the Hand’s encounter with the Amberdune family of werejackals and Vulk’s healing of their mortally wounded (and technically dead) patroness, the lamia Nadalia, was an eventful period for the friends. Korwin visited sporadically, but was kept quite busy by the demands of his new mentor and the rigors of learning a new convocation, and often seemed distracted, even when he was present. Mariala, Devrik, Erol and Toran hardly noticed it however, as they were deeply involved in their own preparations and studies for their upcoming examinations to attain the rank of Vendari. Toran, Devrik and Erol spent much of their time creating artifacts to present as the customary gifts to their examiners, while Mariala pondered which spells to offer up and Draik and Vulk shopped for their own magical needs.

Raven and her son spent considerable time in the nearby Lara’s Park, and took every opportunity to cross the Imperial Canal and visit the Imperial Gardens… they were so much larger and so well designed, that she could almost believe she was in the countryside, not in the heart of world’s greatest city. Aldari enjoyed the time out-of-doors almost as much as his mother, especially once he was allowed to bring Krasinda and Methora along. He had quickly made pets of the small, shining (when they weren’t invisible) and mischievous dragonettes given all the time on their recent travels that he had spent in the pocket dimension mansion contained within the “The Joys of Extradimensional Spaces.” His main pet, Brann II, had been dubious of the flying creatures at first, but once he’d established who was the boss, he seemed to get along with them well enough. Perhaps their shared fondness for the boy was the key…

Draik’s 28th birthday, on the 11th of the month, was the one evening when everyone set aside their studies and tasks, and simply relaxed. Dr. Ar’Hanol, who was spending considerable time at Bekatia House when Mariala was free, joined the party, as did Captain Belith K’Jorul, the clockwork Captain Renaült and their ship’s factotum merchant Hanir Alvador. Even Korwin managed to get away for a few hours to enjoy the festivities. The food was prepared by the twin homunculi, Coriander and Cumin, and flowed in a steady stream out of the pocket dimension, to be carried by the house’s servants to the table.

Thanks to just a bit of Baylorium mixed into the sparkling wine drunk at the final toasts, everyone was able to return to their tasks the next day without hangovers or need for recovery time. It was a day after that when the formal papers had arrived, inviting the four Journeyman candidates to petition for advancement to the rank of Master. All four had been arranged for the same day, staggered throughout the day: 20 Kilta, beginning with the first turn of the Unicorn watch and ending at the fifth turn of the Boar watch. Everyone agreed that the hand of the Imperial Myrmytron could be seen in this surprising confluence… or perhaps not so surprising, as he had sent word via Korwin that he intended to be present for each of their interviews and tests.

On the evening of the 15th Devrik left the mansion after dinner, to lend a hand at the nearby K’Rint smithy, where Toran was crafting an artifact they had designed together. As he was leaving, he smiled fondly overhearing Aldari wheedling with his mother to be allowed to spend the night in his room in the pocket dimension mansion, with Brannson and the dragonettes, rather than in “this boring old place.”

“No, you’ve spent enough time in there recently,” Raven said as the door closed behind him, but he recognized the resigned tone that suggested, to his ear, that she knew the boy would probably get his way in the end. It was almost midnight, around the second turn of the Rat watch, when Devrik returned to Bekatia House. Everyone had retired by then, with only the drowsy porter lad to let him in, and he tried to be as quiet as he could ascending the stairs to his and Raven’s bedchamber. Along the way he popped his head in to see if Aldari had got his way after all, and sure enough, the boy’s bed was unoccupied. He was smiling fondly and preparing to tease his wive (she would certainly wake up when he slipped in to bed, no matter how quiet and careful he tried to be) when he glanced across the room to the shelf where “The Joys of Extradimensional Spaces” always sat when Aldari or Raven were in the pocket dimension. His smile froze.

The book was gone!